Game apparatus



March 24, 1936. MacDOUGALL GAME APPARATUS Original Filed June 28, 1934 nun- A Inventor Ban MqcDouflall' H is Attorneys.

Patented Mar. 24, 1936 UNETED STATES.

PATENT QFFIQE GAME APPARATUS Bon MacDougall, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor .to Fred C. McClellan, Chicago, Ill.

1934, Serial No. 735,106

3 Claims. (01. 273-121) V I3 which are arranged at'the corners of the This invention relates to certain novel improvements in a game apparatus and particularly has reference to an arrangement wherein playing balls may be progressively advanced from one point to another upon a playing surface and has for its principal object the provision of an improved structure of this character which will be highly efiicient in use and economical in manufacture.

The present invention is a division of that described and shown in my Patent No. 1,973,820 filed June 28, 1934, for Coin controlled game apparatus.

In one preferred form, the present invention contemplates the utilization of ball controlled means for progressively advancing a ball around a baseball diamond arranged upon a playing surface.

With the foregoing and other objects in View the ball progressing means preferably comprises an electromagnetic circuit including a ball-advancing member in the form of a solenoid, the said circuit being closed by a ball traveling along a ball return runway from the playing surface to the elevating means, or to a point adjacent the latter.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, showing the preferred form of construction and in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a preferred form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional detail View of the same taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional detail view of the same taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 2. i

The game apparatus shown and described in my co-pending application hereinbefore referred to, and as shown and described fragmentarily in the drawing of this, the present application, comprises an inclined playing board It onto the upper portion of which balls are propelled one at a time (by means not shown) so as to gravitate thereover toward the lower end thereof. Provided upon thisplay board in is an object H which, in the form of the invention shown simulates the diamond of a baseball field. This diamond is defined by side rails l2 which are supported from the play board It by means of posts diamond.

While I have shown a fragment of a baseball diamond upon the playing board l0 it is obvious that the object I I need not necessarily represent or simulate a baseball diamond as the present invention, which will now be more fully described, may be utilized for progressively advancing a ball along runways or guideways of various forms and designs arranged upon a playing surface.

Between the rails l2 there are formed in the play board Ill grooves or runways l4 which guide the balls and are substantially parallel to the rails I2.

Each corner of the diamond is intended to represent or simulate a base and at each corner there is formed in the play board [0 an opening 32. Arranged in each of these openings 32 is a ball-receiving seat or cup- 33. These ball seats or cups 33 are hinged to the play board It] in a manner shown and described in my above-identified patent and are normally held in raised position by means of a sliding panel 34 which is arranged below the play board IE1. However, when the sliding panel is moved by the player, at the end of a game, to discharge the played balls from the.

playing surface for return to the elevating device (not shown) the ball seats or cups 33 drop by gravity to discharge any balls held thereby for return to the elevating means.

Formed in each ball seat or cup 33 is a slot l6 and projecting upwardly through each of these slots I6 is a finger I'i, each of these fingers l1 being formed as an integral part of a ball-advancing member or solenoid actuated slide bar I8. Each finger I! is normally held at one end of the corresponding slot lt by means of a resetting spring 2l, one end of the spring 2| being secured to the ball-advancing member or arm 18 of the solenoid, as at 22; and the other end of the spring 2| being connected to an inclined floor 23 which is disposed beneath the play board H].

The solenoid I9 is connected, in anelectromagnetic circuit, with a suitable source of electric energy 24, by means of suitable conductor wires 25, and arranged in this circuit are suitable switch structures 26 which may be of any approved design. Each of these switch structures 26 in the present instance includes a movable contact member or contact gate 2'! and each of these movable contact members or gates 21 is adapted to have contact under certain conditions with a relatively stationary contact member or post 28 to complete the circuit between the sole- 7 V noid l9 and the. source of electric energy 25.

These contact members or gates 21 are pivotally mounted upon posts 29 which project upwardly from the sub-floor 23 and are normally held, in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, by means of springs 30, so as to be successively engaged by balls traveling along the runways 3| from the playing board II] to a point adjacent the elevating means.

Arranged around each ball seat or cup 33 is a circular wire ball retaining ring or hoop 35.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

When a ball enters one of the inclined return runways 3| from the play board Ill it travels by gravity down the runway 3| and successively engages the movable contact members or contact gates 2! and as it engages these movable contact members or gates 2'! it pivots them against the action of their resetting springs 30 into contact with the corresponding stationary contacts 28, thereby closing the electromagnetic circuit (Fig. 2) and energizing the solenoid l9. Upon energization of the solenoid l9 the ball-advancing member [8 and finger H are quickly moved in the slot I6 of the ball seat or cup 33, against the action of the resetting spring 2|, and thereby propel the ball with which the finger contacts, from the said ball seat 33, over the wire retaining ring 35, and along the groove or channel M to the next succeeding corner of the diamond or to the next station or post arranged in the guideway or track grooves M if the grooves M are arranged in some other pattern or design than as a baseball diamond.

It is apparent that the structure hereinbefore described and shown is capable of universal application in connection with amusement games wherein a ball or balls are projected upon a playing surface for movement thereover and the invention is not limited to the specific form and design shown. 7

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification, without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such Variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is;

1. In agame apparatus, the combination of z A member providing a playing surface; a guideway or track on said playing surface for guiding a ball thereover; an annular ball seat arranged in said guideway or track; said ball seat having a slot or opening formed therein; an inclined ball return runway below said playing surface and. having communication therewith; means forprogressively advancing a ball along said guideway or track from point to point thereon; said means comprising an electromagnetic. circuit including an electromagnetically operated ball advancing member having a portion movable in said slot and arrangedin the path of movement of a ball traveling along said guideway or track; and means arranged in said runway and engageable by balls traveling therealong to close said circuit and operate said ball advancing member so as to move the said portion thereof in said slot and propel a ball off from said ball seat along said guideway or track.

2. In a game apparatus: A cabinet including a member providing a play surface; a ball runway or track on said playing surface for guiding a ball thereover; said member having an opening formed therein; the said opening being arranged in said ball runway or track; an annular cup or ball seat disposed in the said opening; said cup or ball seat being hingedly mounted upon said member and having a slot formed therein; a ball return runway belowv said playing surface and having communication therewith; means for moving a ball off from said ball seat or cup along said first-named runwayor track including an electromagneticallm operated ball advancing member having an upwardly extending portion movable in said slot; means arranged in said ball return runway and engageable by balls traveling thereby to close said circuit and operate said ball-advancing member so as to move the said portion thereof in said slot and project a ball off from said ball seat along said first-named runway or track; and a member slidably mounted in said cabinet below said playing surface for retaining said ball seat or cup in raised position against the action of gravity.

3.. In a game apparatus: A cabinet including a member providing a playing surface; a ball runway or track on said playing surface for guiding a ball thereover; said member having an opening formed therein; the said opening being arranged in said ball runway or track; an annular cup or ball seat disposed in the said opening; said cup or ball seat being hingedly mounted upon said member and having a slot formed therein; a .ball return runway below said playing surface. and having communication therewith; means for moving a ball 01f from said ball seat or cup along said first-named runway or track including an electromagnetically operated ball-advancing member having an upwardly extending portion movable in said slot; means arranged in said ball return runway and engageable by balls traveling thereby to close said circuit and operate said ball-advancing member so as to move the said portion thereof in said slot and BON MACDOUGALL. 

